The jogging platform of the conventional jogging machine is pivoted at the front end thereof between two upright supports of the base of the jogging machine. The jogging platform is provided in the underside of the rear end with two support legs adjustable manually in length. The rear end of the jogging platform is rested on the ground surface by means of the two support legs. The inclination of the jogging platform is adjusted by adjusting the length of the two support legs, so as to enable the user of the jogging machine to attain various exercise effects.
In order to enhance the convenience of using the jogging machine, certain jogging machine makers have developed a jogging machine comprising a jogging platform adjustable in inclination by means of an electrically-powered connection rod mechanism, as shown in FIG. 1. The jogging machine 2 is characterized by its jogging platform 70 which is pivoted with a linking frame 80 formed of two connection rods 81, a displacement rod 82, a reinforcing rod 83, and two slide wheels 84. The base 90 of the jogging platform 70 is provided with two slide rails 71 for accommodating the two slide wheels 84. The base 90 is provided with an electric actuation device A for connecting the displacement rod 82 to drive the linking frame 80 to urge the jogging platform 70 to rise. Two elevation rods B are disposed between the base 90 and the jogging platform 70. The inclination of the jogging platform 70 is adjusted by the actuation device A, the linking frame 80 in conjunction with the two elevation rods B. In addition, the jogging platform 70 can be folded.
According to the test done by this inventor of the present invention, this prior art jogging machine has the following drawbacks.
The electric actuation device A of the jogging machine 2 is mounted on the base 90 such that the actuation device A is located between the base 90 and the jogging platform 70, thereby taking up a great deal of space of the base 90 to accommodate the jogging platform 70. In addition, the bottom space of the jogging platform 70 is also reduced to limit the inclination adjustment of the jogging platform 70. In other words, the downward space of the jogging platform 70 is limited.
In light of the actuation device A of the jogging machine 2 taking up the bottom space of the jogging platform 70, the folding of the jogging platform 70 is apt to be interfered by the actuation device A. As a result, before the jogging platform 70 is folded, the actuation device A must be first started to raise the jogging platform 70 so as to facilitate the folding of the jogging platform 70.
When the jogging platform 70 is being folded, the jogging platform 70 is swiveled upwards on the pivoting center of the two linking rods 81 to arrive at a predetermined position at which the jogging platform 70 is fixed by a fastening member that is mounted on a predetermined location of the base 90. In the midst of the folding action, the position of the pivoting center of the jogging platform 70 is a factor determining the success of alignment of the jogging platform 70 with the fastening member. If the position of the pivoting center is excessively high, low, forward, or rearward, the jogging platform 70 will not be in alignment with the fastening member in the wake of the upward swiveling motion of the jogging platform 70. As a result, the jogging platform 70 cannot be securely located by the fastening member. As a result, before the jogging platform 70 is folded, the actuation device A must be started to raise the jogging platform 70 to a fixed position, so as to enable the jogging platform 70 to be in alignment with the fastening member upon the completion of folding the jogging platform 70. It is therefore readily apparent that the folding process of the jogging platform 70 of the prior art jogging machine 2 is rather complicated and burdensome.
The shortcomings of the prior art jogging machine 2 are due to the improper mechanical design and component disposition. For example, the actuation device A must be disposed on the base 90 due to the way by which the linking frame 80 and the two elevation rods B are disposed. In addition, the linking frame 80 is driven by the actuation device A from the underside of the jogging platform 70. In light of the underside space of the jogging platform 70 being taken up, the inclination adjustment of the jogging platform 70 is thus obstructed. The folding process of the jogging platform 70 is also obstructed. The jogging platform 70 is pivoted with the linking frame 80 and the two elevation rods B in a simple manner, thereby causing the stop position of the jogging machine 2 to be easily affected by the pivoting position of the jogging platform 70 and the two linking rods 81 upon the completion of the folding of the jogging machine 2. In other words, the jogging platform 70 cannot be folded according to a fixed path because of the defective connection design of the jogging platform 70, the linking frame 80, and the two elevation rods B.